Mine stays in. I use it when I back into parking spaces that have a wall or rail at the back- keeps me from dinging my bumper. I have also had folks who haven't had their coffee yet 'v' their license plates when they pull in behind me at oh dark thirty. One guy's bumper came in over the ball, then settled down during the day. I went to leave and almost dumped my soda when the ball grabbed the bumper! The azzhat didn't even have a jack in his car! I helped......I used my handy jack:)
As for barking my shins on it....I walk around the front!
MikeH
